


Kent Parson Protects his Rookie

by Carpe_History



Series: Unwritten Plot Outlines [2]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Homophobia, M/M, not a full story but more then a ficlet, not by any listed character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:07:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25813312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carpe_History/pseuds/Carpe_History
Summary: Kent Parson protects his rookie. even if it means making a phone call to a number he wasn't supposed to have.The first thing he blurts out is 'please don't hang up. I'm calling with a Captain issue.' turns out that's enough to keep Jack on the line.
Relationships: Alexei "Tater" Mashkov/Kent "Parse" Parson
Series: Unwritten Plot Outlines [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859494
Comments: 16
Kudos: 68





	Kent Parson Protects his Rookie

**Author's Note:**

> OK SO i love kent parson and i think he's wonderfully complicated and Needs To Grow Up. this is one of my four attempts at making him do that. and really i think the other three may be posted here at some point. 
> 
> please let me know if you like it. :D

SO the season after Bitty graduates, neither the Aces nor Falconers won the cup, although both came down to playoffs. 

It's just after the next season starts, and Kent calls Jack. Jack nearly hangs up on him, but Kent says he got an issue with a Rookie he's never had before. And Jack _has._ It's a captain to captain conversation. Nothing more. 

If Kent didn't sound so damn worried, Jack would have hung up. Jack stays on the line, but the phone call goes on speaker with Bitty in the room. Kent says fair; Bittle would have a great perspective on this. That statement alone makes Jack worry a hell of a lot more. As far as Jack could tell, Kent and Bitty didn't like each other.

Turns out the Ace's Rookie, a later draft pick who made the team is having problems with management and trying to hide it, badly. The Aces are not supportive team management like the Falconers are. 

Hockey is better now that Jack is out, but it's not perfect, and the Aces are an example of how _not_ perfect it can be. There have been a few other people who are now out in the NHL and a few others in other major sports, but it's far from perfect. 

The Rookie is just eighteen, is gay, not out, and is playing NHL level hockey. The kid is _good_ and is putting up high numbers, but the issues at work are wearing him down in other places but the ice. 

Bitty swears. Kent explains that while the kid is not out officially, it's pretty clear the 'best friend' back home in Montana, is actually a boyfriend. He's also not really trying to hide it from his teammates. But he is trying to keep it from being public and management. 

Kent also explains that the Rookie also has a controlling family who is hockey or nothing and won't leave him alone. Kent thinks the parents are controlling the Rookie's finances. The Bestfriend/boyfriend is also in a similar situation but not as good at hockey and is a year younger. 

What Kent needs advice on, is actually how to handle the Rookie without pressuring him and how to handle the Aces' management. The Aces as an _organization_ are homophobic as fuck (not from the coaching staff or the players). 

The players and coaches are on the Rookie's side, but they don't know how to really help. Everyone feels much like Kent, and really that's what drove Kent to call Jack. Jack has experience with a gay teammate with an uncertain family situation. Bitty sighs at this because he _hates_ that one of his cousins talked to the media at some point. 

Kent stays sorry for using that, but he's more worried about the Rookie then he was at upsetting Bittle or Jack. 

Kent has been "Conceal; don't feel" for so long he can take anything the owners and management of the Aces give, but he's worried as fuck for this Rookie. He's actually billeting the kid too. Usually, his A, Swoops, has the Rookie billet. 

The boy needs more from the team, and the players and coaches are trying, but how to protect him? Half the team is trying to keep the kid out of trouble and away from the management. He asks Jack for advice because who else would he ask? Jack and Bitty are the best for that advice. 

This whole phone call leads to more Zimms/Parson fixing friendship with advice for a diverse team and dealings with shitty management and tenuous family situations. 

The family advice comes more from Bitty's experiences than anything else, even if it's not direct (at all!) comparison). The parents are terrible, controlling, and aren't like the Bittles were (unknowing) but are actively hostile to anything that isn't hokey and the norm. 

The team keeps the kid from spiraling when they leave for the first time in his life after the training camp. But they show up often and without warning. The father really pushes the kid hard. They also control the kid's finances. 

Bitty ships the Aces' players pie and jam to help keep their spirits up. Kent is happy that Bittle isn't going to kill him via pie. 

The Rookie cries at the pie because the BF is in town for a few games at his school holidays, and yeah. Kent has a soft spot for seeing happy couples, and the Rookie confirms that his best friend is a boyfriend. 

Kent takes Bitty's advice and makes sure the kid knows he's not alone on the team. The kid plays damned well after that. 

Kent keeps Jack and Bittle updated. And when they play in late November, Kent introduces the Rookie to the Falconers. (or well: Poots, Marty, Tater, and Jack.) 

-

Kent is the one caught midway through the season, though, just before the trade deadline. Someone stole Kent's phone. Kent hadn't been hiding his orientation in the texts. Then they sold the damn thing to Deadspin after proving that it's Kent's. It's undeniable (and I'm not explaining how), and it puts at risk several people in the NHL who are not ready to be out. (Kent's smart and didn't leave much in the text except for himself, but he worries.) 

Kent's agent sues the shit out of them to give back the phone (and will win), but it's too late. He's plastered all on the news and has to deal with all the _stupid_ questions! From the media, from his friends who did not know, and from the management.

Kent had no idea how Jack handled the whole thing when he came out because Kent liked the limelight, which is now _exhausting._ The Rookie, Swoops, and Scraps stay together a lot to protect Kent. the rest of the team also stands by him too because the Ace's players are a team even if the management is _not._

Management does not stand by Kent. This leads to trade because the Aces _suck_ as an organization. ~~(please know this is a common thing in my headcanons)~~ Kent sees the writing on the wall; he has to leave. But if he goes, then Rookie would be alone. 

Swoops and Scraps tell him the team is on his side in an emergency meeting of the players at swoops' home. The Rookie was freaking out and had turned off his phone to avoid his parents. (the bf knows about the lack of contact and isn't freaking out but the parents aren't told and are pissed.) 

It's just before a practice when Kent is called into the office, just before they suited up. The entire team _knows_ and it's not going to be good. 

Kent takes one look at the kid he's made _his_ Rookie and knows the kid won't make it in the Aces on his own. Even with Swoops and Scraps and the rest of the Aces players. Not with everything that's happening. The rest of the team knows it too, by the fierce protective looks they all have. So does the kid, by his terrified expression. 

So Kent goes into that meeting where he was going to be traded and tells the Aces he won't blow their cover if the Rookie is traded with Kent. (he carefully makes no promises for the rest of the player's actions though.) (Aces' Management does not notice the lack of promises.) 

The Aces know that even if they suck, they will have a LOT of trouble if it gets out that they are _that_ homophobic, so they agree and search the league for people to trade for one of the best players and a Rookie. 

The Aces get offers for Kent and the Rookie because it's _Kent fucking Parson_ , have you seen his numbers? What are the Aces _doing_? Getting rid of a star player because of a _scandal?_

-

Kent and the Rookie end up at the Falconer's because I can. George Maritan snaps them up because have you seen the thought of the Zimmerman-Parson no look? That still makes fans weep years later. 

She wasn't expecting to get the two for one deal, but she looks at the Rookie's record and knows the kid is good. She also talks to Kent's agent and can hear the stress. The agent has taken over the Rookie's contracts too. 

She picks them both up from the airport personally. Their time on the practice rink is the best they've had since the story broke the previous week. 

The Falconers take one look at the kid's finances and suggest he take his parents off the account before he signs the paperwork. Or straight up start a new account because the one with his parents isn't matching what he was being paid. The Rookie agrees because his parents might not know about the trade yet. 

Kent is just glad he can be out someday. The Falconers are not happy to hear about what happened and make it clear they support him. (also Kent and the Rookie's NDA isn't actually that good. Shitty sees it and starts laughing. Jack and lardo exchange looks while Kent realizes that the Aces haven't thought of _anything._ ) 

The Rookie's parents are _pissed a_ bout the trade. The Rookie tells them, it's the way the game works and to deal. They are also pissed about the fact he was traded _with Kent._ Whom they hate because he's gay. The Rookie tells them, via skype, that he's glad for the transfer and to deal.

They don't realize until the playoffs, but the account with the Ace's money in it, has no cash flow and realizes that the Falconers got the Rookie a new account. This leads to more phone calls, but the Rookie won't let them into the account. 

The BF comes out to visit before the playoffs and stays. He ends up crashing with Tater for the rest of the season. The apartment Kent and the Rookie share is _tiny,_ and the BF is a goalie. And all parties involved know the BF and the Rookie aren't exactly ready to live together without destroying themselves and their relationship. The Rookie suggests Tater. (he also teases Kent for the massive crush on Tater he's developed since getting to the Falconers. 

Kent is relieved the Rookie feels comfortable enough to even tease. 

The BF actually came out to his parents before he left and RAN. The BF graduated from high school, is eighteen, has no idea what he wants to do with his life other than getting out of the town he and the Rookie grew up in. (The BF gets into Samwell, SMH as a walk-on, and ends up playing for them. He does not make it to the NHL but is happy nonetheless.) (boy is a goalie. Rookie just buys BF new pads.) 

So both sets of parents are pissed. 

It's during the playoffs - Falconers lose in conference finals; the Aces don't make it that far - that Rookies parents come to visit and intent on pressuring Rookie to get his money and to get BF to go back home. They just show up without telling the Rookie. 

Kent gets in the way and keeps the BF away from the parents. The Falconers keep the Rookie busy, but the parents are instant and starting to make scenes. The Rookie looks more and more scared and tired and stressed, and Kent can't have that. 

Kent practically fights them. Eventually, he gets in between them and the Rookie while at the locker room for practice. He says that they aren't welcomed. The parents are munitions, but all four of the captains are all on his (and the Rookie's) side. 

They leave, and the Falconers support the Rookie. 

It's during the division conference (when the Falconers lose sadly), AND the parents try to get to the BF. And that causes the Rookie to snap. 

He straight up cuts them off. 

They can keep the Aces money, but the Rookie wants nothing to do with them. Tater gets them kicked out of the building and gets the BF away from them too. Bitty is the one that nearly fights them, though. He's also adopted the Rookie and BF (neither of them can _cook! OMG Kent PARSON YOU CAN'T EITHER.),_ and he's going to make sure they do not come back. 

Kent is so proud of the Rookie. 

I have no idea where this goes from here beyond the happy ending. 

I want Jack and Kent addressing their shit and becoming friends again (but that's all). 

Zimbits plan a wedding for the offseason; It's as crazy as any southern wedding can be. This would be the comedy relief in the background as Bitty LOVES weddings and he, his mother and Jack's parents are all in for the wedding with Jack being 'please, for the love of God, let me choose the photographer, and you can't cater the entire wedding Bits. But I think we will all be upset if you don't make the cake.' and Bitty agreeing to that. His mother caters to the wedding instead. 

This story will have a mashkov/parson ending because of rarepair hell; they move in together after the second season. The season after the trade and Zimbits wedding, the falconers won the cup, and kent and tater move in together. 

IDK if you want more of Kent/Tater, I will be working on another unfished plotline with more Tater/Kent. It's a hell of a lot more involved with a lot of similar themes to this one. But without the Rookie? idc.. Tater loves Kent. They have one panel of interaction. It's great. :D 

Rookie gets BF out of a terrible family situation, tells his own family to fuck off and leave him alone, and is happy. BF plays for samwell ends up on a community league and loves it. His favorite goalie in the league is chowder. (chowder's a shark.) 

Also, Swoops, Scraps, and the rest of the Aces players go forward to the media once Kent has been traded because (and I quote) "Captain Kent's changes to the fines aren't valid anymore and we aren't forced to protect you to keep him playing. You already fucked that up." to the GM/Owner of the Aces. And IDK, the Aces get sold and eventually become the Golden Knights (the IRL expansion team in Vegas), and everyone is happy. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on Tumblr at carpe-history. I'm on twitter at Carpe_history. come yell at me about check please?


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